Electric power busway used within industrial power distribution systems generally consist of a plurality of rectangular copper or aluminum bars closely spaced and separated by means of an electrically insulative coating. Every two feet or so, the bars are shaped to provide a spaced gap between the individual bars and the bottom edge of each of the bars is abraded to remove the insulative material and expose a contact region on both flat sides of the bar. This exposed contact is then tin or silver-plated to provide an electric contact blade for connection with a power take-off assembly which includes a corresponding plurality of blade receiver stabs which mate with the blade portions of the shaped bars. The air gaps between the shaped bars provide sufficient electrical insulative spacing to prevent arcing between the different phases of a multi-phase power system wherein each bar carries one-phase of the system current. The so-called "expanded connector region" containing the shaped bars effectively provide electrical access to the busway by means of the contact blades. When a four-bus power distribution system is employed, the added length for each expanded connector region corresponds to an increase of approximately six percent for each bar. For the four-bus power distribution system, this represents an equivalent six percent increase in the weight of conductor material over an equivalent linear distance spanned by the closely spaced bars within the remaining extent of the bus system. For the long lengths of busway required in most industrial operations, the amount of extra conductor material required to provide sufficient expanded connector regions is substantial.
One purpose of the instant invention therefore, is to provide a power bus system which allows interconnection with a plurality of power take-off assemblies without increasing the amount of conductor material at each power take-off position.